Adjustable lamp socket



Nov. 11, 1930., H. w. JONES -ADJUSTABLE LAMP SOCKET Filed May 22, 1928 IN V EN TOR:

ATTORNEYS.

\ v HlII HHHHIIIIH Patented Nov. 11, 1930 Her/Inn w. JONES, F NEWARK, NEW i isstcr lircit To NATIONAL cARBoN" 00M- PANY, me, A CORPORATION or, NEW YORK ADJUSTABLE LAMP SOCKET Application filed May 22, 1925. Serial m. mm.

This invention relates tofiashlights, battery hand lamps, and the like, and more specifically to means wh' reby the lamp in such a device may be adjusted so its filament is on the optical axis of an associated reflector.

Flashlights comprising means for securing relatiye ai iia l movement betweenthe lamp and reflector to focalize the light are Well known in the art, but the result obtained from this fccalizing' movement isjfr eqiiently unsat isfactory because ,many of the lamp filaments, due" to inantifacturing' tolerance's, are not onthe axes of the lam s so, regardle'j's'sof the quality of the flashlights, many of the lamp filaments cannot he'broiight to the focal point of their associated reflectors by this movement alone. Therefore, the desired concentration and intensity of the light beam cannot be secured. v 33 One of the objects of this invention is an improved lamp socket constructed so the lamp therein may be moved laterally to position its filament on the optical axis of an associated reflector. Other aims and objects will beep 2; parent from the description and illustration of the invention. w t

I attain these objects'by means of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawing in which: I I I Fig. 1', is a longitudinal sectiona'l'view of a focusing flashlight enihody'i'ng my invention,

Fig-2, is anienla-rged View in elevationof my improved lamp holder, and

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional yiew of another type otffocusing flashlight embodyingfniy invention. 7 4 r I In the drawing 10 is acoiii entional'tubnlar casing of metal drjothei' Within theuppe'ifentlof the easing 10 is asnpport or diap'liragnill which is held in plac e'by' a apt-m ring 12. Thefsnpp'ort 11 is preferably of iiisiila'ting' material such as fibei' but other materials may be iisefd and it maybe-Mirna the casin by other means- Wll known in the" art; Threaded; upoai he p er end of the casiitg" 10 is a head 13" that may be" adjiisted on theta-singibystrewing either up or doivlifc frcfa purpose that Will be described ate-1 L Witliinltlleheajd 1 3 is" a reflector 14 are rests await-hamster end' of the head 13 to the lower and isfheld p ate by thebczel 15mm is threaded to the seal-1 13 and also carries the e e gl ss 16'. Wi hi the c sing- 10 'is the usu l better 17 Che cell's, anti threaded p nd ofthe is the usual b iQt tdl ill cap Igparrying the/ battery supper-c ag aridontacting pring 119. v Misunted upon the oll ts'ide OLP the casing 101st conventional switch 20ft); osingopening the circuit through the" battery and lan'ip'. V

I ,Monnted' on the upper side of the siipport 11 1s lamp h me 21. This lamp holder may b'eof anysai-cable material biit I prefer to form it from a single piece of con'diictiiie metal such as brass or "b liiilz'f The ramp holder 21 has a threaded socket portion 22 that receives and supports the lam-p 23. iii of 'ratiye' relation to the reflector Extending outwardly froni the lower end of the' larnp'holder 21 is a base psi-151011 24; that a tracted to'th'ef support 11 by a plurality of riyets ofyv'hich we is shown at'25l Be t yireenl the threaded ocket portion 22 and theb'ase portion 24 of thel'a mp'ho'lder 21" is an inthrea'ded' portioii 2'6, herein termed a connecting portion. A short section of both theiightjand left sides of this connecting portio'1126is reincyedby cut-ting a transverse slot im act side; so the socket portion 22 isflsiipported atthis point by' only a narrow secti n-27" (if-the anniilarwirfaill 26' at the front of the lamp holder and by a similar section of th'eanniilarvtall 26 at the back of the lamp holder; Als'oyjust above the slots 30, a short section" of'both-"the 'froiit'a'nd back sides of thelccfinecting portion26 is'removed by cuttlngatraiis'verse slot 31 in each side, so the socket portion 22 is supporte'dat this point by only a narrow section 28 of the annular wan 26"a tthe'rig*ht side of the lampholder andb a similar section of the annular Wall 26 at'thelift side ofthe lamp holder. These sapporting parts 27 28 are of sufficient strength to support the socket portion 22' and the lamp 23 during service conditions and they are also su'fficiently pliable to bend under marital pressure so the lamp may be moved laterally to center its filament optically inthe reflector. Therefore, vi -hen a new lamp is ins erted in thejflashlightyifthe fila- .1

ment'is. not in the'desiredpositionat the 8 axis of the reflector, the lampand the socket the-filament and the optical axisof the re-. fleotor into coincidence. 'lVhen the lamp'is moved forward or b ackw'a'rd the. pliable connecting portions 28 are bent, and whenthesleeve 36 is aeretractil'e spring 38 that rests against theunder side of the support'll and.

lamp ismoved to the, right or left the pliable supporting parts 27 arebent. -By various combinations of these movements the lamp socket and the lamp therein'may be set in.

any other position, and the soeket'will remain set in the proper position'for any particular lamp, but may again be readily ad usted to 7 some other position for a replacement lamp that has its'filament in a different position;

A'resilient conductor .32 is; secured to the center of the support 11 by a rivet-33 so they conduct current from the central. ter minal of th'eba'ttery 17 to the centralterminal of the lamp 23, andan insulated conductor strip 34 connects the switch 20 withthe base 24 of the lamp'holder 21;

WVhen the switch 20 is in closed positlon thepath of the current through the flashlight is as follows: from the positive. terminal of the battery 17 y to the rivet 33, conductor .32,

lamp 23, lampholder 21, conductor strip. 34,

switch 20, casing 10,1bottom cap 18', and bat' tery supporting spring 19, .to the negat ve terminalof the batte'ryl'Z. The reflectormay be moved axially ofthe lamp to focalize the light by screwing the head 13 either up or downon the casing, 10. If necessary to obtain "a focus the head 13' may be removedby'unscrewingit from the casing lOand the lamp 23 may be moved laterally by pushing it =Wll3ll the thumblor' fingerto positionthelamp filament at the optical axis of the reflector.

.When the head13 is replaced, if it is found "from an inspection of the. reflected light beam that the filament is still not atthe opti-. cal axis of the reflector, asecond or third adjustment is usually sufiicient to secure the desired result. a After .the lamp filament has been optically centered in the refle cto-r'the -.concentration or the reflected light beam may 'beicontrolled by the axial movement of the f reflector and nofurther lateral movement is usually necessary until 'a newlamp. is placed in the flashlight. I

- Theform ofthe lamp holder 21 may be varied toadapt 'it.. for use with flashlights constructed differently from-that shown 1n Fig. 1. For exa'mple,-,Fig. 3 showsv my 1m- U proved form of lamp holder adapted to a' flashlight wherein the focalizing movement 1s secured by adjustingthe bottom cap 18 on the casing 10. secured'to the underside of suitable number of rivets the support 11 by a 25 is a ca-sin'g35." Sliding Within the casing 35 is a sleeve 36ihaving an ,inturned flange 3,7 atits lower end to which is attachedmjy improved lamp holder 21 which extends upthereunder.

movementin' different directions from wardly through the sleeve casing35, and

support 11, and supportsthel'amp bulb 23in operative relation to the reflector '14. ;Car-

ried by the sleeve 36 but insulated therefrom and also from the lamp holder 21isaresilient conductor 32 that connects the central ter rninal oi the lamp 23 to the central terminal of the battery l7. lVithin the casing 35 and presses the sleeve 36 and theparts attached i thereto downward so that conductor '32 is held against the upper terminal of the bat.-

tery 17; WVithin the bottom cap 18 is a rigid battery support 39 upon'which the batteryll rests. The usual conductor strip 34 connects holder 21, sleeve 36, casing 35,.conductor strip 3%,. switch 20, casing 10, bottom cap 18, and

battery support 39 to the battery 17. To

focalize thelight the bottom cap 18 is adjusted on the casing 10 thereby moving: the

battery support 39, battery 17 'conductor 32,

sleeve 36,'lamp holder21 and lamp 23, relatively of the reflector 14:1 The retractile V 7 spring .38 holds the sleeve 36'. and the parts carried thereby against the battery 17 and the battery 17 against the battery support 39 so that the parts move as a unit in response to the movement or the endcap 18 and the battery. support 39.

The bezel 15, cover glass 16, and if desired the reflector 14, may be removed from the casing 10 and the lamp bulb moved laterally to centralize the lamp filamentin the reflector 14 as. described in connection with Fig. 1.

lOli

Thisadjustment is made in the same way in both of the types oiflashlights shown in Figs,

1 and 3.

Thefform of the lampholder may be "varied to adapt it to other typesof lamps and lamp bulbs without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the rights I claim inoperative relation thereto, and a lamp holder for saidlamp comprising 'a' 'socket and 1 a basejoined by a plurality ofpliable portions adaptedbfor being manually bent in pairs duringuse to provide relative move. ment between said socket and .said base to align said lamp. and reflector. Y

2. In a fl'ashlight,.a lampholder compris ing asocket and a base joined by a plurality of pliable portions adapted for being bent in pairs to-providerelative movement between v said base and said socket, one pair ofsaid pliable portions being adapted for providing provided by'the. other pair.

those 3. In a flashlight, a lamp holder comprising a socket, a base, opposed pliable portions adapted for providing relative movement between said socket and said base in two directions, and opposed pliable portions adapted for providing relative movement between said socket and said base in two directions difierent from those provided by said first mentioned pliable portions.

4. In a flashlight, an annular lamp holder comprising a socket, a base, two pliable portions in transverse alignment, and two pliable portions in transverse alignment at substantially right angle to the first two.

5. In a flashlight, a tubular metal lamp holder comprising a threaded socket, a flanged base, a pair of pliable portion-s adapted for being bent in two directions, and a pair of pliable portions adapted for being bent in two directions different from the first pair, said pairs of pliable portions being in different planes along the axis of said lamp holder.

6. In a flashlight, a tubular metal lamp holder comprising a threaded socket, a flanged base, and a connecting section therebetween having the front and back removed to form a pliable portion at each side, and each side removed in a different plane to form a pliable portion at both the front and back, said pliable portions being adapted for being bent to provide relative movement between said socket and said base.

7. In a flashlight, a unitary tubular metal lamp holder comprising a threaded socket; a flanged base; and a plurality of pliable portions therebetween symmetrically arranged so part of said pliable portions are adapted for being bent to provide relative movement between said holder and said base in two directions, and the rest of said pliable portions are adapted for being bent to provide relative movement between said holder and said base in two directions different from the first two, and all of said pliable portions are adapted for being bent to provide relative movement between said holder and said base in other directions.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HOMER W. JONES. 

